Opinion Journal: Right to Try: Another State Says Yes

Goldwater Institute President Darcy Olsen on why Arizona is the most recent state to adopt laws that allow terminally ill patients to access experimental drugs. Photo: Getty Images

This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.

... Arizona recently became a fit state to pass so-called ... right to Try laws ... to give terminally ill patients access to experimental drugs ... has turned into a national movement ... the letters to President Garcia Olson is here in New York to talk about it said D'Arcy ... was a close vote in Arizona ... this is that this is a sweeping victory for patients ... eighty percent of voters approved and so was one of the largest margins of victory ... in history on about an inch now I think we got the list of statesman put that up on the screen years to viewers can see in Arizona Colorado Louisiana Michigan misery ... um what was in Congress passes on the federal level why isn't happening at the state level ... well for ten years Congress has been totally deadlocked on this issue ... and cooking figure that out because this is something that the American public overwhelmingly supports ... and the minute we take this into its the first state house ... that legislators both sides of the aisle where sell in favor of it ... in fact a clear the first four states which one in a dissenting vote no when you said when we brought this is the state houses how is the Goldwater Institute ... and participating in the side in this movement have a hubby advocated well about a year ago creep of oncologists in us and said we have all kinds of patients who are dying when there are medicines ... that we know can help them but they're ten years from coming to market is there anything you can do ... and we said ... let's see and we went to the drawing board and design the right to Try laws so where is the FDA on this why aren't they out there advocating ... to try to extend life if not stated that having taken the position ... they they have big neutral on this they have a compassionate use program ... but unfortunately that program is too little too late ... and we believe that these lots actually made good on the promise of compassionate use by letting these patients with terminal illness as ... get access to medicines and treatments ... immediately ... so how do you or states are you targeting what could expect in the coming months what were were targeting all of them married beaches all Americans at the rate we're all subject to these terrible illness as ... but I think that in twenty fifteen he'll see at least twenty more states passed and adoptees rights ... that will exert enough pressure ... on Congress especially now that we were to have a GOP led Congress ... on to act to move for a good actually pass us on the federal level is a deal to mingle ... they are so many reforms it that the FDA needs its very antiquated it and they may need to do just become more modern so ... we hope that this brings attention to an end writes comments ... but were not waiting on Congress to get this done okay not waiting on Congress Goldwater Institute starts the Olsen they think you very much